Prelude to Budapest
by avngstories
Summary: Did anyone think that SHIELD would really stay out of an incident that risked nuclear war? Brandt says goodbye to Carter and she finds out she's been re-tasked. Barton and Romanoff head back to Budapest to hunt down Moreau's associates.


_**A/N. Had to get this silly crossover plot bunny out of my mind. I you didn't see Mission Impossible 4, then go rent it and watch it…And tell me that was NOT Clint Barton under cover! **_

He looked down at the clock on his phone. 2:45 to go…

"Jane?"

"Yeah Brandt?"

"Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure."

The agent that died, you were close?"

She swallowed hard, "Yes. We were."

"I'm sorry."

"So am I."

"Jane, if you had it to do all over again, would you change anything?"

She looked at him intently, not sure of what answer he was looking for. "No, I wouldn't change anything. We were both in the business before we were together. We knew the risks. We knew one of use wouldn't make it home one day."

He looked at the ground, "But you were together anyway?"

She smiled, the memories of all the good days they had together coming back to her. "He died in my arms." She closed her eyes. "But I was there, and that's all that mattered. The last thing he said to me was that he loved me." She couldn't hold back the tears anymore.

"I-I'm sorry Jane, I shouldn't have asked."

"I'm not ashamed that I loved my partner, Brandt."

"What?"

"We were better together."

He swallowed hard and looked back at his phone, "Less than 2 minutes until extraction, Jane." He said softly.

"What? What are you talking about, we're not getting extracted!"

"No Jane, you aren't. But I am." He said apologetically. He turned to the north, where he knew the quinjet would be coming. A few seconds later, she heard it as it approached. He just continued to look at her. "It's been a pleasure serving with you Jane." He said.

"What? What IS that thing?" she asked in shock as the quinjet landed vertically.

"It's my team Jane. "He said as he walked away.

"Brandt, wait, what in the hell are you talking about?" She was so focused on the weird looking plane that she didn't hear the man come up behind her.

"Hello, Agent Carter. May I have a word?"

She spun around to face a man with light brown hair and a pleasant looking face wearing a dark blue suit. And sunglasses. He was wearing sunglasses at night? Her shock at being snuck up on was nothing compared to what she thought when she spun back around to see the rear door of the "jet" lowering down and Brandt walking up the ramp.

"Wh'What the fu..." she started to say.

"Ms. Carter, please. I can explain everything if you come with me."

"Where's Hunt!" she demanded.

"Mr. Hunt has been assigned to a different agency. You, ma'am have been assigned to us."

She looked at him in shock. He continued, "the IMF as you know has been folded. Its best assets have been re-assigned."

"To whom?" she asked, not sure she wanted to know the answer considering the freakin weird goodbye she'd just had with Brandt.

"Agent Barton was impressed with your performance on your last mission and recommended you be re-tasked to SHEILD."

"SHIELD?" she asked with disdain, "SHIELD is just a myth! Something they tell rookies to get them to behave!" she spat out. "And wait. Who is Agent Barton?"

The man smiled at that and shook his head, "I assure you that SHEILD is real. I'm standing here aren't I? And to answer your last question, Agent Barton just left." He nodded to the jet that just took off vertically. She blinked her eyes.

"You mean Brandt?" She didn't even know what to ask next.

"Agent Barton was brought in by the late Secretary to ensure that your mission went successfully. Given that Congress disavowed the IMF, he was also tasked with deciding which, if any, of the IMF assets should be brought into SHEILD."

She swallowed hard. "You mean, the IMF is really gone. Even after what we did?"

"Times have changed, Ms. Carter. I'm afraid that you will have to get used to a new world."

"And if I say no?"

"And why would you do that Ms. Carter?" he asked. She noticed something a little dark in his last statement, something that said she didn't really have a choice in the matter.

"I think that if you give us a chance, you might be surprised." He said again this time more cheerfully, but she wasn't fooled. The darkness was still there. She could see the three SUV several yards behind him. No doubt the vehicles were full of armed personnel. And that's when she knew that she didn't actually have a choice in the matter.

"Ok," she said in surrender. "What do I have to lose?"

The man in sun glasses smiled again. "Please follow me Agent Carter." And he turned to walk towards one of the SUV's. She followed, wondering what in the HELL just happened.

As soon as the doors closed, Barton looked around at the crew, wondering. He saw her hair first. He always did. It was sticking out of her helmet. She was sitting in the co-pilot's seat. He walked to the front.

"I'm gone a month and suddenly your flying?" He teased.

She turned her head to flash him a quick smile. "Just learning something new Barton."

He laughed, and found a seat in the back. _Maybe it's time we both learned something new_, he thought

She exited the co-pilot's seat and joined him "They want us to go back to Budapest and shut down that Red Room cell."

He nodded. "There's no question Moreau was Red Room." He looked at her carefully. "Are you ready for this?

"You know I am." She said firmly.

"Yes, I know you are, Natasha." He replied. "I know you are."

She looked at him closely, trying to understand what he meant, but he just leaned back and closed his eyes. In the darkened bay of the jet, with them sitting side by side, no one could see him take her hand in his an hold it.

_End._


End file.
